City trip Havana
Havana is unlike any other city: colonial squares filled with music, classic American cars and the legendary Malecon along the Caribbean Sea. No direct flights from the Netherlands, but via Madrid or Paris you arrive in around 15h30. Return from around 760 euros.
✈️ Plan your trip to Havana →Updated 23 August 2026
Best time to visit Havana
November and April are the ideal months to visit Havana: dry, pleasant 25 to 27 degrees and lower prices than the peak season. December to March offers the best weather but higher flight prices, especially around Christmas and New Year. Avoid May to October due to the rainy season and tropical storms; April has the best balance of price, crowds and weather.
Havana neighbourhoods: where to stay?
- Habana Vieja (Old Havana) UNESCO-protected core with five historic squares: Plaza de la Catedral, Plaza Vieja, Plaza de Armas, Plaza de San Francisco and Plaza del Cristo. More than 900 baroque buildings. Most casas particulares (private rooms with Cuban families) are here; the ideal base for a first visit.
- Vedado The living neighbourhood of the Habaneros: jazz clubs, Hotel Nacional, La Rampa boulevard and the best nightlife. Safer and greener than Habana Vieja, with its own local energy and the best restaurants.
- Miramar Diplomatic district with stately art-deco villas along the wide 5a Avenida. Quiet, green and home to the best paladares (private restaurants) in the city. A bit further from the centre but easily reached by taxi.
- Centro Habana Raw and almost tourist-free: authentic Cuban feeling in faded grandeur. Less suitable as a base but worth a daytime walk to experience the real city.
- Jaimanitas (Fusterlandia) Artist Jose Fuster covered his entire neighbourhood with colourful ceramic mosaics: walls, benches, streets and facades. Completely free, almost no tourists and golden in colour an hour before sunset. The most underrated attraction in Havana.
Top 5 attractions in Havana
- Plaza de la Catedral and Habana Vieja The 18th-century cathedral and surrounding square are free to visit and form the absolute heart of colonial Havana. Walk on to Plaza Vieja for the Factoria Plaza Vieja brewery (beer from around 2 USD) and Plaza de Armas with the second-hand book market (vintage revolutionary posters and books, free to browse).
- Museum of the Revolution Housed in the former presidential palace, with an extensive exhibition about the Cuban Revolution. Admission around 6 USD; opening hours 09:00 to 17:00. Outside stands the Granma, the yacht on which Castro and his comrades entered Cuba in 1956.
- Cementerio de Colon One of the world's most impressive historic cemeteries, with monumental mausoleums and baroque sculptures from the 19th and early 20th century. Admission around 5 USD. A must for lovers of architecture and Cuban history.
- Fabrica de Arte Cubano (FAC) Gallery, restaurant and club in a former oil factory in Vedado. Admission around 2 USD; open Thursday to Sunday 20:00 to 04:00. Drinks are recorded on a card and you settle at the exit. A unique Cuban cultural experience.
- Tropicana Show The legendary open-air 1950s cabaret show around 20 minutes from the centre. Admission around 85 to 150 USD including a bottle of Havana Club rum on arrival. Spectacular; always book in advance.
Flights from the Netherlands to Havana
There are no direct flights from Schiphol or Eindhoven to Jose Marti International Airport (HAV) in Havana. The most common routes go via Madrid with Air Europa or Iberia (around 2-hour layover) or via Paris with Air France. Total journey time around 15h30. Return from around 760 euros with Air Europa and Air France; November and May are the cheapest months to fly.
From Eindhoven, allow about 1 hour by train to Schiphol (around 18 euros). A state taxi from Jose Marti Airport to central Havana costs around 25 to 35 USD; a vintage convertible costs the same but is far more stylish - book directly on arrival at the airport.
What does a trip to Havana cost?
Return flight from around 760 euros (via stop, Air Europa or Air France). Stay in a casa particular (private room with Cuban family): around 20 to 40 USD per night including breakfast. Boutique hotel in Habana Vieja: around 60 to 120 USD per night. Daily food budget in paladares and local restaurants: around 15 to 35 USD. Total for one week in Havana realistically around 950 to 1,500 euros per person including flights.
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Frequently asked questions about Havana
How do I fly from the Netherlands to Havana?
There are no direct flights from Dutch airports to Havana (HAV). The cheapest options connect via Madrid (Air Europa or Iberia) or Paris (Air France). Total journey time around 15h30. Return from around 760 euros, cheaper in November and May.
When is the best time to visit Havana?
November and April are the best months: dry, pleasant 25-27 degrees and lower prices than the peak season December to March. Avoid May to October due to the rainy season and the risk of tropical storms.
Which Havana neighbourhoods are unmissable?
Habana Vieja (UNESCO core, 900 baroque buildings), Vedado (lively local neighbourhood, Hotel Nacional), Miramar (best paladares and art-deco villas) and Jaimanitas (Fusterlandia mosaics by Jose Fuster, free and almost tourist-free).
What currency do I use in Havana?
The official currency is CUP (Cuban Peso); the CUC was abolished in 2021. EUR and USD are widely accepted in hotels and tourist businesses. Cuba is largely a cash economy: bring sufficient cash. Dutch bank cards work in large hotels but not everywhere.
What does a taxi from the airport to central Havana cost?
A state taxi from Jose Marti Airport to central Havana costs around 25 to 35 USD. A ride in a classic convertible vintage car costs the same but is far more spectacular. Always agree on the price before getting in.
Is Havana safe for tourists?
Havana is generally safe for tourists. Habana Vieja and Vedado are the safest and most tourist-friendly. Do not keep valuables visible and avoid the outskirts at night. Pickpocketing can occur on busy squares; stay alert on the Malecon after sunset.
🗺️ Where to stay in Havana?
Hotels, casas particulares and boutique hotels in Havana on the map. Click a pin for live prices and direct booking.
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